Fwd: Update on Chinese Demand Study

[Sarah Clark]

Hi Art and Michael,

Unfortunately CapLog's client has decided to not move forward with our proposed analysis :( It's a bummer because understanding and integrating food safety requirements is obviously essential to the success of a venture. 

I haven't responded to Kit yet, is there anything in particular you would advise me to say? I don't think I'll say the bit I just wrote about "understanding food safety is obviously essential", haha, that's a bit strong. But I'll definitely at least thank him for putting our proposal forward and re-emphasize that Catalyze Ventures would love to partner on any projects in the future. Anything else?

And do you both feel okay with me moving forward as a subcontractor for the remaining scope of the project? I'm very excited and interested to do it, but before I respond to Kit I just wanted to run it by you both again to make sure you feel okay as well.

Thanks guys!

Sarah

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Kit Barron <cba...@caploggroup.com>
Date: 16 August 2013 16:26
Subject: Update on Chinese Demand Study
To: Sarah Clark <seac...@gmail.com>


Hi Sarah,

My apologies for the delay in getting back to you. We've been working to incorporate feedback from the client into a revised project scope. The good news is that it looks like they are ready to move forward! Unfortunately, the client decided to cut the chapter on regulation that we had in mind for your firm from the final scope.

That said, I think that your experience working on the luxury seafood trade in Asia could be a good fit for the project. Would you still be interested in working on the project as a sub?  If so, it would be great to find a time next week to discuss how we might structure your participation in the project.

What days/times work best for you?

Thanks for your patience and flexibility as we move this thing forward!

Saludos,
Kit


Sent from my mobile device.

[Sarah Clark]

Hi guys,

I just emailed Kit because I'm heading out for the day so I wanted to respond to him. We're going to connect next week about the subcontractor work, and as Art advised earlier I'm going to affirm my fee is $125/hour to ensure he's not undercutting our Catalyze Ventures proposal (even tho it sounds like I'm not going to be doing food safety type work), as well as to build a fee/salary history for Catalyze Ventures consulting. 

I'm wishing you guys a lovely weekend and I'm looking forward to connecting Wednesday evening!

Sarah

[Michael Reading]

Hi guys,

Sarah, sorry for the delay! I say go for it re. Cap Log. There might be a strategic issue for down the road to talk about if we do form a company, about what kinds of projects we would do under the umbrella of Catalyze, and which would be solo - but as for this project - definitely take what sounds like a great opportunity! 

Also, some information about CapLog that I bumped up against the other day; EDF paid them north of $400k in FY2011, learned this while reading EDF's 2011 990 form in prep for my interview - not bad for, what I think, is a two person operation!

-M

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Michael L. Reading
Master of International Business - The Fletcher School | Tufts University

Climate CoLab Fellow -  Center for Collective Intelligence | MIT

+1.612.860.3099

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[Sarah Clark]

Great, thanks Michael!

And now I know why Kit has been able to find a place to live in San Francisco :P hehehe. But seriously it speaks to why having your own consulting firm is so great/lucrative. At HighQuest I was regularly writing proposals where the bill rate was $350/hour, but with my salary I was only making like $50 an hour....where was the extra $300 going?? Spread throughout the company to people and other projects, etc etc. As owners of CV, we ensure all the money we earn is actually going directly to us (and subcontractors). 

Cheers,

Sarah

[Artavazd Hakobyan]

Hi Sarah, by all means go for the CapLog opportunity. It sounds great.

Sent from my iPhone

[Sarah Clark]

Hi guys,

Just an FYI, Kit sent me the following note today, in response to my email thanking him for "putting our proposal forward"...

"Also, I wanted to be clear that we did not put your proposal forward to the client. We included, in our proposal, a brief description of what a chapter on regulation might look like (developed prior to receiving your proposal), but did not use any of the materials that you provided us in correspondence with the client. This is an important point for me to clarify, as it could imply that CapLog was using the product of another firm without that firm’s permission. Not a big deal, but just want to be very clear about how we operate!"

It's a considerate clarification for him to have made!

Best,

Sarah

[Michael Reading]

 Thanks Sarah! That's good of him to be cognizant of the intellectual property issue, as Art had highlighted for us. 

--
Michael L. Reading
Master of International Business - The Fletcher School | Tufts University

Climate CoLab Fellow -  Center for Collective Intelligence | MIT

+1.612.860.3099

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